Paperboard carrier for frangible articles



May 21, 1963 G. J. DOROFACHUK 3,090,539

PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR FRANGIBLE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 50, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 frzz/eni'or May 21, 1963 G. J. DOROFACHUK 39 PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR FRANGIBLE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 50, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q N w R Gus J fioro czciiuk J WM Mali 3,090,539 PAPERBGARD CR FUR FRANGELE ARTICLES Gus .I. Dorofachulr, New Brunswick, NJI, assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, llh, a

corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 39, 1961, Ser. No. 134,989 14 Claims. (til. 229-40) This invention relates to paperboard carriers, and more particularly to a sling type paperboard carrier especially adapted for the packaging and carrying of a plurality of frangible articles such as eggs, electric light bulbs, and similar articles.

The invention comprehends an improved sling type paperboard carrier comprising an inner article-receiving tray member disposed within and carried by an outer sling member.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a carrier for a plurality of frangible articles, an improved onepiece sling member adapted to hold an article-receiving tray member.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision, in a carrier of the type described, of a one-piece sling member, with integral handle means, adapted to receive and retain in interlocking engagement therewith an article-receiving tray member.

These and other objects of the invention will be ap parent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carrier embodying features of the invention, with the article-receiving tray member removed;

FIGURE 2 is a side elvational view of the structure of FIGURE 1, with the tray member shown in position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the sling member of the FIGURE 1 may be formed.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, it will be seen that the carrier illustrated is of the type particularly adapted to carry a plurflty of eggs in quantities greater than one dozen. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to an egg carrier alone, and, by changing the contour of the tray member, the carrier can be readily adapted to carry articles other than eggs.

Basically the carrier comprises a sling member, indicated generally at 1%, adapted to receive and retain a tray member, indicated generally at 12.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the tray member 12 includes a pair of similar, cooperating tray elements 12a and 12b, presenting a plurality of mutually facing cavities 14 which, when the tray elements are disposed in abutting relation, form with each other a plurality of article receiving compartments or pockets 16. As the cavities of each tray element are formed by providing an undulated or corrugated contour, there are, on the reverse or outer sides of each tray element, a plurality of similar cavities or depressions 18.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the sling member it) may be formed from a single blank 2%) of suitable sheet material such as foldable paperboard. The sling member includes a generally rectangular, flat bottom wall panel 22 having a pair of generally vertically disposed side wall panels aaassa Patented May 21, 1963 24 hingedly attached to the opposite side edges thereof along parallel hinge lines 26.

Hingedly attached to the corresponding upper edges of the side wall panels 24 are a pair of generally rectangular outer and inner top wall panels 30 and 32, respectively, which are joined to the respective side wall panels 24 along parallel hinge lines 34 and 36, respectively. The top wall panels may be cut so as to provide integral handle portions 38 hingedly attached thereto which, when the carrier is in erected condition, may be folded upwardly to provide a common handle, as best seen in FIGURE 1. Inasmuch as the handle portions would be folded down into the planes of their respective top wall panels for shipping purposes, one of the side wall panels 24 may be provided with a recess or cutout 39 at its upper edge to facilitate lifting of the handle portions out of the planes of their respective top wall panels.

At its outer or free edge the outer top wall panel 39 may be provided with a pair of locking tabs 40 hingedly attached thereto. Each of the locking tabs 40 preferably comprise an enlarged head portion 42 which is joined to the panel 30 by a slightly narrower neck portion 44. When the carrier is in erected condition with the top wall panels disposed in overlapping relation, the locking tabs 40 of the top panel may be inserted within aligned tab receiving slots 46 of the inner top wall panel 32 to afford interlocking relation between the top wall panels and thereby maintain the carrier in assembled condition without the need for outside securing means such as adhesives or staples.

In order to retain the tray member within the sling member there may be provided at opposite sides of each side wall panel 24 a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels 5% which are hingedly attached to the side wall panels along parallel vertical score lines 52. As best seen in FIGURES l and 4, when the carrier is in erected condition the end wall panels 5i extend toward each other and are each provided with one or more cars or projections 54 which extend inwardly from the free edges thereof to be received within the cavities 18 in the rear surfaces of the tray elements, as shown in FIGURE 4, so as to afford an interlocking engagement between the sling and tray members and thereby maintain the tray member in proper position within the sling member. If desired, the side wall panels 24 of the sling member may be provided with additional tabs or spacer panels 56 hinged along hinge lines 53 so as to extend inwardly and engage opposite sides of the tray member. These spacer panels may also be provided with projections 59 similar to the end Wall projections 54 which are received within the cavities 18 of the tray member to add in maintaining the tray member in proper position within the sling memher.

In order to fill and assemble the carrier, the articles to be carried are first placed between the tray elements 12a and within the pockets 16. The tray elements, which together form the tray member 12, are then placed at the bottom wall panel 22 of the sling member. At this point the end wall panels 50 are folded inwardly at right angles to their respective side wall panels 24 and the side wall panels are folded upwardly at right angles to the bottom wall panel 22 so as to be in a vertical position surrounding the tray member with the projections of the end wall panels received within the cavities 18 of the tray member. 'If the sling member is also provided with spacer panels 56, they are also folded into position at the same time the end wall panels are folded into position, so that when the side wall panels are brought up to the vertical position the spacer panels 56 engage the opposite sides of the stray member. At this point the inner top wall panel and outer top wall panel are folded downwardly at right angles into a horizontal position whereby they overlap each other, with the locking tabs 40 of the outer top wall panel being inserted into the slots 46 of the inner top Wall panel. If the carriers are to be stacked, the handle portions can be left in a horizontal position within the plane of the respective top wall panels, and when it is desired to carry the carriers separately the handle portions may be folded upwardly at right angles to their respective top wall panels and into parallel abutting relationship with each other to form a common handle for the carrier.

I claim:

1. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles such as eggs comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard having top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached to opposite end edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member Within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being overlapped in detachable interlocking relation with each other and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

2. A multi-trip, reusable carrier according to claim 1, wherein one of said sling top wall panels has hingedly attached to a free edge thereof tab means receivable within cooperating slit means in the other top wall panel to afford said interlocking relation between the top wall panels.

3. A multi-trip,' reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetweeu; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached to opposite end edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being overlapped in detachable relation and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

4. A multi-tr-ip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member for-med from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached to opposite end edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels engageab'le with'opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being in detachable interlocking relation with each other and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

5. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached to opposite end edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling i member; said sling top wall panels being detachably related and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

6. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached to opposite end edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending end wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being overlapped in detachable interlocking relation with each other.

7. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for'a plurality of frangible articles comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements present ing mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member for-med from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto in wardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tnay member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being overlapped in detachable interlocking relation with each other and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

8. A multi-tr-ip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray mem her having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tr-ay member; said sling side .wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being in detachable interlocking relation with each other.

9. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side Wall panels having hingedly attached inwardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being in detachable interlocking relation with each other and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

10. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom and side wall panels hingedly interconnected to form a sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member; said sling top wall panels being overlapped in detachable relation and including a pair integrally formed cooperating handle elements.

11. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for a plurality of frangible articles comprising, in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting mutually facing cavities defining article receiving pockets therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected with free end portions; and means for removably interconnecting said end portions when the member is in closed condition to form a detachable sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member,

12. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray member having a pair of abutting tray elements presenting a mutually facing cavity defining an article receiving pocket therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected with free end portions; and means for removably interconnecting said end portions when the member is in closed condition to form a detachable sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending end Wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member.

13. A multi-trip, reusable carrier for frangible articles comprising in combination: a tray member having a pair of tray elements having an article receiving pocket therebetween; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected with free end portions; and means for removably interconnecting said end portions when the member is in closed condition to form a detachable sleeve for receipt of said tray memher; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending end wall panels engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member Within said sling member.

14. A multi-trip, reusable carrier comprising, in com bination: a tray member for receiving an article to be carried; and a sling member formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and including top, bottom, and side Wall panels hingedly interconnected with free end portions; and means for removably interconnecting said end portions when the member is in closed condition to form a detachable sleeve for receipt of said tray member; said sling side wall panels having hingedly attached thereto inwardly extending locking means engageable with opposite sides of said tray member to retain and position said tray member within said sling member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,074,160 Bergstein Mar. 16, 1937 2,078,488 Farnham Apr. 27, 1937 2,125,042 Bergstein July 26, 1938 2,808,189 Williams Oct. 1, 1957 2,849,112 Forrer Aug. 26, 1958 2,851,210 Kramer Sept. 9, 1958 3,005,546 Sanford Oct. 24, 1961 

1. A MULTI-TRIP, REUSABEL CARRIER FOR A PLURALITY OF FRANGIBLE ARTICLES SUCH AS EGGS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A TRAY MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF ABUTTING TRAY ELEMENTS PRESENTING MUTUALLY FACING CAVITIES DEFINING ARTICLE RECEIVING POCKETS THEREBETWEEN; AND A SLING MEMBER FORMED FROM A SINGLE BLANK OF FOLDABLE PAPERBOARD HAVING TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDE WALL PANELS HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED TO FORM A SLEEVE FOR RECEIPT OF SAID TRAY MEMBER; SAID SLING SIDE WALL PANELS HAVING HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES THEREOF A PAIR OF INWARDLY EXTENDING END WALL PANELS ENGAGEABLE WITH OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TRAY MEMBER TO RETAIN AND POSITION SAID TRAY MEMBER WITHIN SAID SLING MEMBER; SAID SLING TOP WALL PANELS BEING OVERLAPPED IN DETACHABLE INTERLOCKING RELATION WITH EACH OTHER AND INCLUDING A PAIR INTEGRALLY FORMED COOPERATING HANDLE ELEMENTS. 